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Giants head down stretch with reinforced bullpen

DENVER -- The Giants start their six-game road trip through Colorado and Arizona with a reinforced bullpen, boasting five new arms added over the past 10 days.

The Giants added right-handers Jean Machion and Brad Penny on Sept. 1, Dan Otero on Tuesday and Yusmeiro Petit on Friday, and they added lefty Dan Runzler on Tuesday. Otero and Penny have pitched in nine and 17 big league games this season, respectively, but Machi, Runzler and Petit have only thrown a combined 2 1/3 innings in 2012.

"Those guys are probably going to be in the game, some of them that haven't pitched in a little while," manager Bruce Bochy said before Monday's series opener with the Rockies. "We're going to need them to do well, pitch well, do their job."

Coors Field is notorious for taxing bullpens, and Arizona can run through its share of relievers as well. With the Giants entering Monday with a 5 1/2-game lead in the National League West, the reinforced bullpen brigade should help keep the club fresh down the stretch.

"You can't keep going to the same guys," Bochy said. "You're getting toward the end of the season, but these guys still need a break."

The 'pen is having its best month since April, posting a 2.79 ERA and a 3-2 record while saving three of four opportunities.

"They're all doing well," Bochy said. "One guy I'll check with is [Santiago] Casilla. His outings have been short until yesterday. I think he threw 16 pitches. I'll see how he's doing."

DENVER -- The Giants start their six-game road trip through Colorado and Arizona with a reinforced bullpen, boasting five new arms added over the past 10 days.

The Giants added right-handers Jean Machion and Brad Penny on Sept. 1, Dan Otero on Tuesday and Yusmeiro Petit on Friday, and they added lefty Dan Runzler on Tuesday. Otero and Penny have pitched in nine and 17 big league games this season, respectively, but Machi, Runzler and Petit have only thrown a combined 2 1/3 innings in 2012.

"Those guys are probably going to be in the game, some of them that haven't pitched in a little while," manager Bruce Bochy said before Monday's series opener with the Rockies. "We're going to need them to do well, pitch well, do their job."

Coors Field is notorious for taxing bullpens, and Arizona can run through its share of relievers as well. With the Giants entering Monday with a 5 1/2-game lead in the National League West, the reinforced bullpen brigade should help keep the club fresh down the stretch.

"You can't keep going to the same guys," Bochy said. "You're getting toward the end of the season, but these guys still need a break."

The 'pen is having its best month since April, posting a 2.79 ERA and a 3-2 record while saving three of four opportunities.

"They're all doing well," Bochy said. "One guy I'll check with is [Santiago] Casilla. His outings have been short until yesterday. I think he threw 16 pitches. I'll see how he's doing."